The biggest gripe with Alabama potentially winning is whether or not they deserve to be crowned the outright national champion. The Tigers beat the Tide once already this year and should they lose this time around will be 1-1 against a team with the same record.

Many people wanted to avoid this rematch because they believed that Alabama "already had their shot" at knocking off LSU.

But if the BCS were to give the shot to any other program the questions would still remain.

Ultimately, champion will be decided between the two best teams the nation has to offer.

Betting Line: Alabama (-1)

This line started at LSU (-1) and moved to Bama (-1). Does it get any closer than that?

There is still some strategy to be implemented by both teams, but for now, the main job for Nick Saban and his staff is to manage the Crimson Tide emotionally. The six-week layoff between games alters the emotional cycle of a team, and Saban has had to do careful calibration to make sure that readiness coincides with kickoff.

"We have basically had two good weeks of work," Saban said. "We've gone through two cycles of practicing, then giving the players a few days off. We'll practice Tuesday and Wednesday before we go down there. We need to continue to work and improve not only fundamentally but also in how we are going to execute."

And Scott Rabalais of the Advocate talks about LSU's fifth-year seniors:

They stood on the sideline of the then Louisiana Superdome that night of Jan. 7, 2008, all dressed up for a party they could only watch but not attend.

There were nine of them, now all fifth-year seniors on this current LSU team: Will Blackwell, Joey Crappell, Josh Dworaczyk, Stefoin Francois, T-Bob Hebert, Mitch Joseph, Jarrett Lee, Alex Russian and Ron Brooks.

They, like their teammates who played in that game against Ohio State, left New Orleans to soon be fitted for BCS championship rings.

They also left with a boundless, youthful determination to get back to that game again.

“We talked about it since we were freshmen,” said Dworaczyk, who suffered a preseason knee injury and will likely participate as a player-coach rather than player in next Monday’s BCS National Championship Game against Alabama. “We said, ‘We’ve got to get back here. Next time it’s here (in New Orleans), we’ll be back.

“Now it’s like a dream come true.”

Player to Watch for Alabama: Trent Richardson, RB, No. 3

A Heisman finalist and potential top 10 pick in the 2012 NFL draft (should he declare), Richardson is the best all-around back in country.

The junior tallied 1,910 yards from scrimmage this season and scored 23 total touchdowns.